Spatially disaggregated estimates of poverty in Azerbaijan: Asset indices versus imputed welfare

'Poverty maps', that is graphic representations of spatially disaggregated estimates of welfare, are being increasingly used to geographically target scare resources. This paper outlines the development of a set of poverty maps for Azerbaijan which can be used by different users. The paper contrasts two alternative approaches to the measurement and mapping of welfare. First a map is derived using imputed household consumption. This involves combining information from the 2002 Household Budget Survey with 1999 Azerbaijan Census data using techniques developed by a team within the World Bank that are now becoming standard practice. Secondly an alternative map is constructed using an asset index based on data from the 1999 Census to produce estimates of welfare at the district level. This provides a unique opportunity to compare the welfare rankings obtained at the regional level under the two alternative approaches and to assess the different results that the two techniques provide.